A Final Decision
by HouseoftheBadger
Summary: Regulus have a very hard time to make up his mind. Should he follow in his family's footsteps or in his brother's? Slytherin or Gryffindor? Written on request.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

* * *

The Marauders watched the first years of ´72-73 following McGonagall through the doors and walk into the Great Hall, where the older students already were gathered for the Sorting and Start of Term feast. Sirius stared at them, searching for his baby brother, and quickly finding them. Regulus stuck out slightly, both because his robes were much better quality than most and because in difference to almost all of the first years, except a few from the pureblood elite, his face was a mask of outmost calm. For everyone else, at least. Sirius could see the confusion and fright beneath it, as he was the one who knew Reggie the best in the entire world. Not even Mother would've been able to see through that mask, but Sirius could without much effort. He could see it on the miniscule frown and how his brother's mouth was angled.

Sirius' breath caught in his throat as he saw his little brother. Both Black brothers were scared stiff for the younger one's Sorting. Which House would he get in? Would he follow in the Family's or his brother's footsteps? Slytherin, or any other House? There was so much that depended on the Sorting Hat's, and Regulus' decision. Would he make their parents proud, or would he make Sirius proud? Because Sirius had no doubt in that Regulus' decision would be solely based on others' opinions. He would not choose based on what he wanted, like Sirius had done. He would choose from whom he wished to please the most.  
Regulus loved their parents, by some odd reason, and had his whole life strived after making them proud. But he had also always wanted to make Sirius happy. For eleven years they were each other's only friend, after all, unless you counted Andy and Cissy who they had played with sometimes when they were little. Now Cissy was too old to play (and thought of Sirius as a disgrace) and Andromeda had gotten married and disowned only two months ago.

He watched Regulus intently, and saw how his baby brother's gaze flew over the Slytherin table on the other side of the room, searching for Narcissa, who sat next to her boyfriend, Lucius Malfoy, and smiled toward him. Then the younger Black brother's gaze searched the Gryffindor table until he found Sirius and his friends, who was sitting close to the end to be able to see the Sorting despite everyone who was so much taller than they were.  
Regulus' eyes were slightly panicked but he threw Sirius a slight smile before looking neutral again and looking straight forward, toward the high table and Sorting Hat.

Sirius felt James' hand on his shoulder and looked over to his brother-in-arms and best friend and saw him smile encouragingly. James, Remus and Peter were all very worried and curious over which House Regulus would get in, mostly because he was Sirius' brother and Sirius loved him very much and they wanted their best friend to be happy. He looked over toward Remus and Peter who all smiled toward him, doing their best to give him courage. It helped a little. The Black heir was still extremely nervous, but it felt good to know that his friends would be there for him no matter the outcome. Not that he hadn't know it before, but it was always good to be reminded.

The entire House of Gryffindor was there for him, even. Almost every pureblood and halfblood knew Sirius' brother was going to be Sorted today, and the ones who didn't, and the muggleborns, could easily see the similarities between their House mate and the boy standing there, surrounded by first years. It was obvious they were closely related, most likely siblings.

The first years had now reached the stage in the front of the room, where the high table, Sorting Hat and stool were placed, and McGonagall – Sirius was too nervous to call her 'Minnie' – took out a roll of parchment and began the Sorting.  
"Armstrong, Josephina." She called out, and a nervous but confident looking girl with blonde hair and purple tips walked up and sat down on the chair. Only a moment after the Hat touched her head it shouted:  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
And Josephina Armstrong happily jumped down from the chair and went to join her applauding House mates.

"Black, Regulus II."  
Regulus almost, _almost_ , startled at his name, Sirius noticed, but took a deep breath and walked up to sit on the stool.

* * *

 **Good afternoon, Child of the House of Black**. Regulus heard a voice in his head. It had to be the Hat.  
 _Good afternoon_. He replied politely.  
 **Would you mind removing your Occlumency-shields so I can Sort you?**  
Regulus sighed and did so. It was very weird to have his thoughts unprotected. He had protected his thoughts for years, as their Occlumency training began at eight years old for him and nine years old for Sirius, so they wouldn't give away any of the Family's secrets.  
 **Thank you.** There was a silence. **Oh dear. Such conflicted thoughts. One of the worst cases I've seen for years.  
** _I'm sorry. I don't know what I want_.  
 **You are a Slytherin, that is clear. You're cunning, you look out for yourself and those you love, and you're clever, resourceful and traditional, which is all valued in the House of the Snake. Though you're not much of a leader, nor are you very ambitious or thirsty for power. But that is not really a required of a Slytherin, although it is a usual trait of one, to be power thirsty.**

 **But you're not sure if you want to be a Snake, are you?  
If you're not, I think you could fit pretty well into Hufflepuff, too. You're loyal, hardworking, dedicated, patient, unusually friendly for a Black, and fair. Though you need to learn tolerance and unlearn the prejudices you have been taught. The Badgers would be to great help in doing so.**  
 _Excuse me, Mr Hat? If- If I'm not a Slytherin, I would like to be in Gryffindor with Siri, if it is okay? Mother and Father would probably prefer me in Hufflepuff over Gryffindor, but…_ **  
I suppose so. Go big or go home, huh? You are chivalric, and you value bravery and courage. The Lions could help you to dare to stand up for yourself, instead of letting the older Mr Black doing it for you. You do not have many of their qualities, though you do value some of them, but being in your brother's House could definitely be to your gain. Now, are you sure you want to be in your brother's House instead of your Family House? A Sorting cannot be taken back, your decision is final.**  
 _I… I want to be with Siri. He's my best – and only – friend. Do you think Mother and Father will be very angry and disappointed with me?_ **  
I do think so, I am afraid. I remember Sorting first Walburga and then Orion. Neither was pleasant, though they were very easy to place.** _  
They're going to be so disappointed in me. But I want to be with Siri. Please put me in Gryffindor, Mr Hat. I'll find a way to cope with all the mudbloods in there._  
 **So be it, then. Good luck, child. You'll need it, both with the Blacks and with the Lions. They do not like prejudices, most of them, and those who do believe in them do best in hiding it.**  
"GRYFFINDOR!"

* * *

The Gryffindor table broke out in an almost deafening cheering, and all the Hufflepuffs and most of the Ravenclaws joined in. The Slytherin table, on the other hand, looked like they had swallowed an entire tree of sour lemons, and Narcissa and Lucius were both scowling deeply.

Sirius hadn't believed his ears as he heard Gryffindor being shouted out – he had hoped, hoped so badly Regulus wouldn't be a Slytherin, and Gryffindor would've been preferable, but really, the boy wasn't particularly brave or courageous. So for a second or two he had just sat there, staring at his brother before Peter laughed and bumped into him, waking him from his stupor, and his face immediately broke out in an impossibly big grin. Simultaneously the Marauders jumped on their feet and climbed up on their seats, giving Regulus a standing ovation and screaming until their voices were hoarse.

Professor Minnie took the Hat of Regulus' head and for a moment he only stood there, looking dumbfounded over what must've been his own decision, before Sirius caught his gaze, smiling so widely he thought his face would break in two, and cheering as loud as he could, and Regulus smiled a small but happy smile as he – for the first time Sirius could remember him doing in public – abandoned the rules of society and almost ran down to the Gryffindor table. Sirius held out his arms, inviting Reggie into his embrace, and his baby brother flew into it, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so proud of you, Reggie." Sirius exclaimed as they hugged. "My baby brother. A Gryffindor." He felt a little bit like he was going to cry in happiness, but forced himself not to. He was Sirius Black, after all. He could not cry in front of the entire school, he had a reputation to uphold. And except that, Reggie had almost never seen him cry, so it would definitely worry the youngest Black.

James, Remus and Peter were still cheering, jumping up and down in excitement and delight where they were standing and patted Sirius and Regulus on their backs.  
"Welcome to Gryffindor, Reggie." Jamie said, smiling widely. Sirius felt his brother stiffen slightly as he was the only one Regulus allowed to call him by nickname, and wondered if he was going to correct James, or if Sirius perhaps should do it, but he couldn't help but smile even wider as he heard his best friend say it. Reggie was actually a Gryffindor. A Lion. Impossible! But it wasn't, because it was true!

"Thank you, Potter." Reggie replied politely and Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes.  
"You can call him James, you know. He's practically family. He's much more family than the Family, at least. Except you, Uncle Alphard and Andy, of course." He quickly corrected himself. James meant more than both Uncle Alphard and Andromeda, though he couldn't tell Regulus that because even if he was a Gryffindor now, he was still loyal to the House of Black. And either way, James didn't mean more than Regulus. Though Regulus perhaps didn't mean more than James either. They shared the master room in Sirius' heart, he decided, just above Remus, Peter, Mr and Mrs Potter. Then Andy came, and then Uncle Alphard, probably.

Regulus frowned, just like the older Black had known he would, but seemed to decide to let it go.  
"Now, Reggie," Sirius added, still grinning from ear to ear. "You've already met Remus, but this is James, as you already know, and Peter, which you probably know too."  
Remus and Regulus had met at the train station, before Regulus had went to join some 'proper pureblood' first years in a compartment. He knew Reggie believed his parents when it came to pureblood supremacy, and probably wouldn't be too happy over sharing a dorm with muggleborns if he would have to do so, but he held no doubts that now when Reggie was a Gryffindor he would be able to make him forget all what prejudices was called, with help from James, Remus, Peter and the rest of the Lions, of course.

James stretched out a hand and Regulus took it and shook it.  
"It's nice to finally meet you." The Potter heir said. "Siri have told us everything about you."  
His brother frowned again. Right. He didn't know that Sirius' fellow Marauders used the same nickname as he did for him.  
"Likewise."  
He looked like he would say something but Peter offered his hand and Regulus forgot it at the moment.  
"Hello, Regulus." Peter said, smiling sincerely. "It'll be great fun to have you in our House."  
"Thank you."

"I can't believe you're a Gryffindor!" Sirius exclaimed excitedly. "I can't wait until you see the Tower. It's wonderful. And then we can play in the Quidditch team together! James and I are trying out this year – James as Chaser and me as Beater, of course – and you can play Seeker next year if the position is open! You're a great Seeker, almost as good as I am as Beater. Though James can probably outclass us both in any position… Anyway! Just imagine Mother and Father's faces when they get the news! Both their sons in Gryffindor! It'll be epic! And we can show you all the secret passageways, and the Kitchens, and everything else!"

Regulus listened to his brother's excited blabbering, just like he always did. He was the quiet child, always listening while Sirius spoke. Soon James, Remus and Peter joined in too. The younger Black brother seemed a little confused over the fact that James, Remus and Peter seemed to care so much about him being a Gryffindor, and he looked very worried when Sirius mentioned Mother and Father, but smiled most of the time, seemingly happy over his brother's excitement.

Sirius still couldn't really believe it. Regulus had chosen him over the Family, over their parents! That was… incredible. Reggie had always hung to Mother's robes, wishing to please, and now… now he was on his way to become a bloodtraitor just like Sirius! While he certainly didn't wish the Family's wrath on Regulus, which he definitely would get now and that was a problem because Reggie had never been as independent as Sirius and always cared about their opinions a lot, more than what was healthy, but he was still so happy! His baby brother was in the same House as him! And he wasn't a slimy snake!

The Marauders didn't watch the rest of the Sorting, too busy with Regulus, but then suddenly it was over.  
"Perhaps you should go sit with the first years, Regulus?" Remus suggested. "The Beginning of the Term feast is a good place to make your first friends here at Hogwarts, as I suppose you don't know many, if any, of the new Gryffindors? Sirius didn't, at least."  
Sirius had to agree. Reggie needed friends. That was the easiest way to lead him away from blood prejudices. So Regulus walked over to the other first years, nervous but hiding it well, and sat down.

Soon the Marauders were laughing and chatting like they always were. They had a lot to catch up on, after all, not having seen each other much during the summer. Sirius had a great time as he always had with his friends, despite feeling a little jealous when the other three mentioned their families. However, he threw glances at Reggie regularly, making sure he had a good time. In the beginning he looked very uncomfortable, and he wasn't overly social with those who must be muggleborns, but after a while he looked a little more home despite being very unused to the kind of community the Gryffindors had. He was used to formal suppers and tea parties and calling each other by surname, after all. The Lions were quick with the first names, and many of them were more 'food fight' than 'tea with the Minister'. But he seemed to cope well enough, so Sirius could calm down.  
"He'll do great." Peter assured him.  
"I know." He replied, although he was worried. But he did know. Reggie was good at adapting. That was how he had survived all these years in the poisonous environment they had grown up in. Much better than Sirius himself, in fact. Regulus had adapted where Sirius had rebelled.

After a while Regulus seemed to find a friend in one of the redheads. A Weasley, by the looks of it. He'd have to check with Gideon and Fabian later. Their sister had married a Weasley, they should know. Though the Weasley family was impossibly big, so it wouldn't surprise him if no one of them knew about all the members of the family. Amazing, really, that Reggie seemed to get on so well with a bloodtraitor. Perhaps Sirius needed to give him more credit.

The feast was soon over and done with, and the Marauders made their way to the common room as the prefects gathered the first years. Sirius smiled toward Regulus, who was standing next to probably-Weasley and a girl he thought was a Fawley. Of course Reggie would find the only two purebloods, despite one being a bloodtraitor. Well, the Fawleys and Weasleys would both be good influences on him. Perhaps he would get some halfblood or even muggleborn friends with enough time.

* * *

"Hey, Black." A voice came from behind as they had taken their favourite spots in front of the fire. Sirius and the other Marauders turned around and smiled as the Prewett twins made their way over to them. Their fellow school pranksters, though the Marauders had passed them with the greatness of their pranks already in first year. Gideon and Fabian were two years older than them. "Congratulations on your brother. Two Blacks in Gryffindor. That must be a new record."  
Sirius laughed.  
"Oh, definitely." He replied. "I was the first Black in _history_ not being made a Slytherin, so that makes Reggie the second. And both of us in Gryffindor – the worst possible House if you ask my family… Mother and Father will not be happy, that's for sure."  
"I hope your brother can take it." Fabian said, looking compassionate. "If it'll be like your Sorting then we can expect a Howler tomorrow. Unless your brother isn't telling them?"

Sirius shrugged as worry rose in his stomach. He actually had no idea whether Reggie would be able to handle a Howler from their Mother or not. He wanted to badly for them to be proud of him. And yet he had chosen to become a Lion. As he had though before: perhaps he ought to give his baby brother a little more credit. He had just never seen evidence of whether Regulus had a backbone before. Apparently he had, though.  
"Siri?" He almost jumped as he heard Reggie's voice behind him.  
"Reggie!" He exclaimed, grinning widely. "Having a good time? Oh, and this is Gideon and Fabian Prewett. Gid, Fab, this is my brother Regulus."  
"Uncle Ignatius' nephews?" Regulus asked curiously. Huh. Strangely enough Sirius hadn't thought about it, but that was true. Father's sister, Aunt Lucretia, married a wizard who must be their uncle. He turned to the twins, raising an eyebrow, and Gideon grinned.  
"That would be us."

"Why haven't you pointed that out earlier?" The Black heir exclaimed accusingly, staring at them indignantly. "That we're family?"  
"You're the Black." Fabian pointed out unnecessarily. "We thought you knew. Haven't you been taught your family tree since you could walk?"  
Before he could walk actually, but not the point.  
"I can't remember every single member of the family! The Black family and its related families is _huge_. Sure, I can count up every Head of the Family and his wife and children back to the Middle Ages, but except that I can't think of everyone all the time!"  
"Every single one?" Peter stared at him in shock. "How?"  
Sirius threw him an annoyed gaze and the younger boy looked like he wanted to apologize for asking.  
"I didn't get food unless I could answer when they quizzed me so I spent hours with tutors, in the library and in front of the family tapestry. Now can we please get back to the subject at hand?"

"Just let it go, mate." James put an arm over his shoulder and Sirius couldn't help but lean into James' body warmth, despite already being warm. James was home. "You won't get anything out from them. And you're completely right. You can't be expected to know every single member of the House of Black."  
They had consciously stopped calling the House of Black the Black family at the end of last year, since the Blacks weren't behaving even closely to how a family should behave. They weren't a family, and they were certainly not Sirius' family.  
"Thank you, Jamie." He turned to Regulus. "Hey, want to help us plan our next prank? The school hasn't started for real until the Marauders have pulled a prank."  
Reggie looked hesitant for a moment before smiling and replying with a "Sure". He often had helped Sirius with his pranks back at Grimmauld Place. The twins looked eager. They loved the Marauders' pranks, and were probably the only ones in school who didn't fear them already for what they had and could do during them. Remus looked over them with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.  
"Time for you to go, I think." He said and they looked disappointed. Remus shrugged at this. "I don't make the rules. Literally. James and Sirius have made almost all our rules. So off you go. You'll have to wait for the prank just like everyone else."  
Pouting, Gideon and Fabian left, though it was obvious they were fighting grins.

The rest of the night was spent planning pranks, chatting about nothing special and Regulus getting to know the other three Marauders and the other way around. He seemed a bit hesitant at the beginning, but after an hour he was warming up to them. A good chunk of the reason to that was probably how happy Sirius was around them – Reggie had never seen him relaxed and happy in any other company than his (and their Quidditch instructor, but it was Quidditch, so it didn't count). Then Peter pointed out it was late and that they should probably go to bed, so they did.

Sirius felt asleep content that night. He was back at Hogwarts, he was back with his friends, and Regulus was with him. They were both in safety for now, at least for a half year or perhaps an entire year if their parents didn't want them to come home for Christmas 'as a punishment'. He hoped so, even though Reggie probably would want to go back to 12 Grimmauld Place.

* * *

In one of the first years' dormitories Regulus had a hard time falling asleep, just like Sirius had had when he first came to the school. Hogwarts was so quiet. Regulus was used to the creaking doors of Grimmauld Place, the mutterings of Kreacher as he walked around the house, the jolts from a boggart in a wardrobe at the attic. The only sounds around him was the sounds of his dorm mates breathing and a few quiet words in their sleep. That was another weird thing. He had never ever shared a room with someone before, except about five sleepovers with Sirius in his entire life, and when Sirius comforted him after a nightmare.

Except that he had a hard time falling asleep because he was beginning to question his decision to be in Gryffindor. He had wanted to be a Slytherin his whole life, why had he chosen Gryffindor? And what would Mother and Father say? And his aunts and uncles? Uncle Alphard would probably take it well, he still supported Sirius, but everyone else… he had definitely disappointed Mother and Father. He was really not sure what he did here. Sure, his dorm mates was nice even though Weasley had been a bit suspicious at first, but they weren't like him. Fawley was the only one who wasn't a bloodtraitor or _worse_ , but she didn't share his beliefs. And what would Mother say when she heard he shared dormitory with two mudbloods, a halfblood and a bloodtraitor?

Well, at least he was with Sirius, though he didn't like Sirius' friends too much. Sirius was his brother, and therefore should be with him, not them. But it was obvious his brother loved them, perhaps as much as he loved Regulus, even though that thought didn't fit well in Regulus' head. He supposed he would have to handle them. It wasn't a big chance that his big brother ever would stop being their friend.

He turned around again, to try to find a decent position to ignore the silence around him, and sighed before _finally_ falling asleep.

* * *

 **Review and you'll make me really happy!  
So, I got a request to write this, so here it is! It's quite a bit out of character as I cannot imagine that Regulus would ever want to be somewhere but Slytherin, even with Sirius in Gryffindor, but I tried to keep him as much in character as possible.  
**

 **I tried to write the day after too, but that was complicated and I didn't want to keep you waiting longer than necessary. If I manage to do it in a good way then I'll give this fic another chapter with it.**

 **It's not edited yet, so excuse any mistakes.**

 **By the way, feel free to drop me more prompts/requests, and if you want to you can also give me one-line-prompts ("How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?") or prompts like "Person A owns a flower shop and person B comes storming in one day, slaps 20 bucks on the counter and says "How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?". They're lots of fun. And for those who do not recognize this, that's the ever popular Flower Shop AU from this Tumblr:** **demisexualmerrill .tumblr post/145668425096**

 **Ciao!**


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